Likes/Dislikes- SPOILERS

[Tojo]

Well i saw it this morning, and am blown away. It wasn't actually what i expected, but here are my likes/dislikes on the film; And an opportunity for OTHERS to vent any fanboy misgivings(though i doubt there'll be many).

Do not highlight spoiler unless you....erm, want to be spoiled.

LIKED

• Daniel Craig. Now as many believe, this was not strictly Fleming's Bond, it was Fleming's Bond 2.0. He was severley cocky and egotistical. A true alpha male, depending on your perspective of alpha males of course. I believed he could have any woman and kill any man. His performance was muti-layered. He isn't Connery, but Connery isn't Craig if you know what i mean. Craig's Bond was a cool, sexy, courageous, charming, vulnerable, tough *******. Connery had all this, except vulnerability. Craig was incredibly inventive too-take the

Spoiler

Vesper/Bond shower scene

for example.

• The titles. The song was a different version i think and wasn't nearly as bad with the titles. The art work itself was original and engaging, even if the bit where we see Craig at the end is abit uneccesary and cheesy.

• The Vesper/Bond reseraunt scene after the casino game. Pure brilliance. A great example of Craig managing to make Bond a real person.

• Martin Campbells direction adn the cinematography

• The very last scene. The names Bond...James Bond. Gaaaahhhhh..

Infact there are so many other things i liked it will take all day. Perhaps better if i just mention what i disliked.

DISLIKED

• The PTS was too short imo, and the Prague section of it was almost ruined by Arnold's cartoon score. When i say it was too short i would have liked an expansion of the Fischer/bathroom scene. The PTS looked great but felt rushed and it was over before it started really. I would have liked to have Bond established abit more.

• The Madagascar chase scene. Ok it was totally fun and engaging and thrilling, but i wanted it toned down alittle. More simplicity, but i know this is a Bond film and know what to expect. It wasn't outrageously stupid, but Bond came off abit like Indiana Jones on speed. Also i have no idea why he SPOILER - HIGHLIGHT TO READ:
shoots Mollaka
totally unnececsary. Same goes for the Miami scene-all brilliant except when Bond SPOILER - HIGHLIGHT TO READ:
cartwheels through the window

Also when he

Spoiler

blows up the terrorist

Again, i thought that was gratutious and completley unbondian. It made Bond look like a pyschotic.

• The whole Mathis thing. I loved Mathis in the novel and wanted him to have the same sort of relationship with Bond in the movie. Oh well, which brings me to...

• Vesper/Bond first meeting. I liked their witty banterism, if a little cliched, but i had hoped Mathis would speak to Bond before introducing her, so then, as in the novel, we would understand his sexism. Then he meets her and can't resist and so on and so forth. Then when they start getting on, Bond realises and becomes cold, like that reteraunt scene in the novel. But i cannot complain too much as their whole relationship was so fantastic in the film.

• BIG SPOILER DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE NOVEL OR THE SCRIPT

SPOILER - HIGHLIGHT TO READ:
Vesper's death. Yes it was made clear by M that she was trying to protect Bond which was great, but i think it was alittle OTT. I would have had her give the money to Gettler and then drown herself in a bath. Writes Bond a note, he finds her an we see Craig emitt the same intensity and emotion that he did when he realises she is dead. Then he get's her phone and tracks Gettler and then goes after White somehow i don't know.


But despite these gripes it was sensational. It did not feel like any of the other 20 Bond film's i've seen before, which is exactly how it should be. Yet despite that, it had all the Bondian elements that have ever been in a Bond film, including, yes you got it, HUMOUR. It had that in abundance. It was slightly reminiscent of the 60's Connery films. Very jet-setting, classy and exotic.

Roll on Bond 22.

 

[pointman]

He killed Molloka because he could. He has a license to kill and e made use of it. Hell, even M brings it up, she rants about it. So there's your answer on that 1.

There was nothing wrong with the madagascar chase imo and it was nothing like IJ, it was like Bond, period. He purseud the enemy, needed shielding and shot at his targets, something Bond has been doing since Dr.No. I assume its like IJ to you because the weather was hot and Bond was just wearing sweaty trousers and a shirt.

I agree that the opening scenes in the bathroom and in pargue were a tad short, they could have been longer but at the end of the day, why would Bond drag it out. If anything, the guy in the chair ended it by firing his weapon at Bond, which Bond and any other person didn't take to kindly too so Bond shot and killed him instead as opposed to talking about what exactly or monologuing.

 

[Tojo]

He killed Molloka because he could. He has a license to kill and e made use of it. Hell, even M brings it up, she rants about it. So there's your answer on that 1.

There was nothing wrong with the madagascar chase imo and it was nothing like IJ, it was like Bond, period. He purseud the enemy, needed shielding and shot at his targets, something Bond has been doing since Dr.No. I assume its like IJ to you because the weather was hot and Bond was just wearing sweaty trousers and a shirt.

I agree that the opening scenes in the bathroom and in pargue were a tad short, they could have been longer but at the end of the day, why would Bond drag it out. If anything, the guy in the chair ended it by firing his weapon at Bond, which Bond and any other person didn't take to kindly too so Bond shot and killed him instead as opposed to talking about what exactly or monologuing.

No i mean the bathroom scene could be longer. It just felt brief. Needed lingering. I would have started with the bathroom thing, then gone to Prague, then had a brief flashback to Bond drowning Fischer.

Dyrden- How did he die?
Bond- Your contact?

Cue to Bond drowning Fischer, cue back to prague office.

Bond- Not well.

And no i did not think of IJ because he was wearing those trousers lol.

Look i loved the action but i am a fan of the books and wanted something more low key but equally as thrilling. It depends on your perspective. I was completley engaged during the action and understand it can't be any other way though.

 

[pointman]

Yeah, I thought and did expect the toilet scene to be longer too but sh1t happens (pun intended).

 

[~†~§iX~†~]

The only part of the movie I thought was a little OTT was the poisoning sequence. The longer it went on, the sillier it got. No one in the game bats an eyelid, even though there is enough time for this to happen to Bond, and for him to obviously shower and change clothes (I find the irony that people were fretting months ago that he wouldn't even wear a tux, and then the movie comes out and he goes through them like wildfire to be very amusing)!......